I love this. The first time I played it I found myself spellbound. Opening with just organ before the band enter one by one, with the lyrics “don’t let me go” bouncing back and forth, it’s a sickly sweet slice of 1960s pop – kind of like Belle and Sebastian dressed as the Mamas and the Papas, playing a Brian Wilson song in a Ritchie Blackmore dream. And if that isn’t enough to entice you, then I don’t know what would.

Built around a simple and pleasing chord progression, and possessing a melody that feels oddly familiar yet isn’t, The Only One is a treat from start to finish. The band are clearly huge fans of 60s/70s pop and absolutely nail the bittersweet vibe of songs such as McCartney’s Here, There and Everywhere here. Everything is spot-on, from the sound of the organ through to the feel of the kit (with a distinctive muffled snare sound) and the lack of a click track. It has the feel of a single that’s been rehearsed, rehearsed, rehearsed and then knocked out in a twenty-minute window with a stressed George Martin looking on. Having said that, it’s no facsimile. There’s a freshness to the track that makes it stand out.

Lyrically, the song is full of wonder – for nature as well as for the object of the narrator’s affection. The two go hand in hand too; personally, I can vividly remember a moment driving to work one overcast morning a couple of years ago, when a chance majestic moment of the sun breaking through the clouds happened at the same time that the band kicks in on Fleet Foxes’ White Winter Hymnal. It was a profound moment for me, where it struck me that my wife, our unborn child and I were so lucky to be here. But hey, that’s just me! The point I’m trying to make is that the lines “Such a lovely day / Have you ever seen the sky look the same? / If I close my eyes I can feel the world enclose me” put me right back there. It’s a track oozing nostalgia, about taking stock, and realising that your life isn’t something that’ll start when you get to a certain age. You’re already living it. It’s wonderful, and by the time the song changes key in the middle 8 and the line “I want you to know, you’re the only one” brings the song to a close, you’re already hovering over the repeat button.

Making everything just that little more bittersweet is the excellent video the band put together to accompany the track. Made from Super 8 footage of family holidays found in co-vocalist Sophie Jones’ grandparents’ attic; it’s a charming visual that compliments the music perfectly. Anyway, on this evidence, Sugarmoon are capable of great things. I’m off to give the rest of the EP a listen now, hopefully you’ll do the same.

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* This track was discovered via Musosoup. A small fee was paid in exchange for publication. See ‘About / Contact’ page for more details.